


Luna's Doodles

by Mikhail_Garcia



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-12
Updated: 2016-05-27
Packaged: 2018-05-26 07:44:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 13
Words: 20,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6229645
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mikhail_Garcia/pseuds/Mikhail_Garcia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A series of stories behind the sketches done by one Luna Lovegood.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Luna's Doodles

**Luna's Doodles**

Luna glanced out the window, seeing the sun shining bright on her new husband, Harry Potter. She had been looking forward to this day for the longest time, a day before Harry's birthday, for them to clean up the wreckage of her house two years after the end of the second war.

Unfortunately for her, a strain of magical resistant flu had spread out in the Auror team's office. The muggleborns and halfbloods, who already had their mundane flu shots this year, were spared from the flu outbreak. But Harry was one of the exceptions because he'd had his vaccination scheduled two weeks later.

In turn, it had to be resolved the muggle way, with medicine, bed rest and tender loving care which Luna had been doing for the past few days. She soaked a face towel in cold water, rolled and squeezed to remove the excess water before wiping the cold sweat from Harry's face, arms and torso. Every shiver or contact with his fever-riddled skin made Luna all the more depressed, as it gnawed at her inability to just magic away his pain.

After the wipe down, Harry went back under their comforters, but maintained a smile at Luna in between the sneezing and coughing. With his voice weakened from the constant coughing, he apologetically asked, "Moonflower, are you sure you want to go on alone without me? Maybe you could wait a few more days, then I can help you with clearing up the house."

Her heart felt something suddenly crush it with a vice grip, the agonizing void of gloom filling every nook and cranny of her body, his words intent solely for her happiness.

' _Even after all these years and after everything he went through, he's still so selfless. It reminds me why I love him from the time with the threstrals up to this very day.'_ Luna thought to herself.

"Sometimes, I still feel I don't deserve you, Harry." Luna whispered.

She then felt his right hand hold her right hand while their simple tungsten wedding rings glistened in the radiance of the sun.

Harry looked into her teary eyes and could see every bit of turmoil behind her dreamy, almost absentminded mask. The sadness of her soul felt almost tangible to his lips, a bittersweet morning dew.

"Luna Lovegood-Potter, you have nothing to worry about. I am always with you, for richer or poorer, sickness or health, till my life after life begins. I won't be brought down by this flu, moonflower. Promise me you'll come back safe and sound?" Harry held out his right pinky finger, which Luna shook with her own right pinky finger.

"I promise. I can do this, love." Luna replied, kissing Harry's lips softly then stood up, before she headed for the door. _"This is for his first birthday with me. I want it to be perfect."_ She told herself and she took one last glance at Harry before apparating away.

Taking a moment to get her bearings, she took a breath of fresh air before opening her eyes. It had been two years since she came to her childhood home and she never really knew what to expect. For her last memory, it was the shape of a chess rook on top of a hill with a creek on the base.

The destroyed and derelict state of her house was the red carpet to the arrival. The only things left standing were the half of the house where the printing press, Luna's room and kitchen area were to be found. The other half had caved in and collapsed from the explosion two years prior. The support beams were covered in moss, while weed, creeping vines and the dirigible plums grew haphazardly on the kitchen floor. There were rotted issues of the Quibbler newspaper all around where the plants have not grown. Different birds, from sparrows to crows had called parts of the place home.

For the second time in her life, Luna felt truly and utterly furious. Every pore of her body screamed anger, her knuckles were white from the tight clenching of both fists and her eyes burned with righteous fury, narrowed to an almost vorpal blade-like sharpness. It was the exact thing she felt during the debacle at the Department of Mysteries all over again. If anyone had been with Luna that time, no one would recognize her because entire posture exuded the words cold, precise and scary with a wand, while the wind blew her hair widly.

A moment later, she screamed into the wind. She shook her head and knelt down on the grass. Her sanctuary from all those people who disbelieved in nargles and creatures she saw, heard and touched even up to this day, called her a lunatic or worse…

It felt like disbelief at first, the question of how could a solid structure, like their stone tower house, collapse in such a way from an explosion

Now, it was gone in a flash. _'This place is my home, my only home… Where I wanted to house, raise and grow my new family with Harry… It's gone, all gone.'_ Luna's thoughts went, as she fell on the ground and agonized over those thoughts over and over again for what felt like centuries in her head, but lasted for at least ten minutes or so.

The crying caused her lungs to crush up and her sobs became labored panting. She wanted to stay there on the ground, wrapped up in melancholy that slowly strangulated her, to just forget about everything that happened and to sleep and never to wake up. Simply she wanted nothing more that to give up.

" _Promise me you'll come back safe and sound?"_ Harry's words echoed in her head and a pinky promise she never wanted to break.

When she stood up, her entire soul found itself stuck in the middle of a void. With her drive flattened and her heart deprived of all senses, she walked mechanically to the remains of her house, with the intention of an accomplished obligation to her husband.

Getting inside the house through an open wall, she flicked her wand and the dirigible plums moved outside like a marching band. She left the moss on the support beams untouched for now and once the plums were out of the way, sliced off the weeds and creeping vines on the ground. Instead of a clean set of precise wand strokes Luna had been known for, it came out erratic. Some plants were chopped with jagged slices, while others appeared pulled.

Even the marble tiles underneath the vines were not spared. The cutting curses caused cracks and shrapnel even flew around with the sheer force of Luna's spellwork.

Half an hour later, Luna composed herself as she leaned on the moss padded support beam and surveyed her handiwork. It was a sobering sight to her eyes. The entire kitchen floor was littered by shredded vegetation and chunks of the marble tiles scattered all throughout the area.

The cleanup of her house was supposed to reparation to the memory of her childhood home. But she tore right through the kitchen floor with the injustice in front of her, coupled with her helplessness without Harry. Luna sobbed once more into her grimy, dusty and leaf sprinkled hands. It was unfair. Harry was supposed to be with her right now as her strength in the middle of this desolation. Her emotions became frazzled with thoughts of giving up, going back to Harry and forget ever doing this chore.

She steadied herself and began to walk out of the kitchen, through the same place she went in.

Just as she was about to step out, she took one last look at the product of her emotional eruption. One thing caught her eye and she ran back to inspect it.

She banished the leaves that covered the wall and cleaned up the soot, dirt and mud in the general area to have a better look.

It unraveled a colorful scene in the kitchen. There were Pastel colors painted in abstract designs. Childhood dragon drawings running around with a stick drawing of Luna while being chased by Xenophilius and her mom. Everything appeared so alive in that little space of the kitchen wall, and like the sun rising over the darker reaches of mountains. Luna's wand work blew the leaves out of the kitchen, repaired the tiles and scourgified the walls and counter tops.

Her pace became frantic as the minutes passed by, while her efforts were fueled by desire to see her old kitchen back, just as she remembered it before she left it for the world. It felt like a huge rush to her, a sugar high that seemed to never stop within her.

The sun was at high noon when she finished her work at the kitchen. She pointed her wand at the ward scheme for the house and powered it before she rested down on the spotless kitchen floor of mixed marble tiles ranging from white, cream and black.

The entire scene was surreal, even for her standards. The pots, pans and silverware cleaned themselves up on the sink. Every doodle, shape art work or sketch on the kitchen walls moved around. She watched snorkacks frolicking in daffodils and circles dancing with squares and lines. But the one she found the cutest was a doodle of her riding a broomstick with her enchanted lion quidditch hat. It was all alive to her, a vibrancy that had been only matched by the times when her mom was still alive.

After a while, she decided that the kitchen could clean up after itself for now and headed upstairs to her room. All the while, she continued to slice off the undergrowth coming up her house, but this time, with her surgical preciseness to the fore and a genuine smile to her lips.

Her smile disappeared however, when she got to the outside of her room. The oak door was lined by creeping vines on the outside and stopped only at the edges of the entrance.

Her good mood disappeared and the feelings of dread and despair found itself screaming out her heart and resolve once more. She looked back and wanted to leave the house again. Her instincts screamed for her to leave and Luna was about to, until she remembered part of what Harry said in the morning.

" _Luna Lovegood-Potter, you have nothing to worry about. I am always with you, for richer or poorer, sickness or health, till my life after life begins."_

Luna looked at the door once more, shook her head and muttered, "You are really a bad influence on me, Harry. You and the nargles definitely, Harry love."

She sliced the vines and opened the door gently, walked inside and turned on the light.

She saw that room ceiling had cracks and it was the same with the floor. The pale blue carpet had patches missing because these were eaten by moths and the end of Luna's bed had fallen through the floor.

Luna was about to cry again as frustration ebbed within her for being unable to have this place spared from the mess. That is of course, until she looked up and let out a voice of shock. The ceiling painting she made glowed softly, the cracks surrounding the painting but stopping at the edge of the glowing gold chain of the words friends with Hermione, Ron, Harry, Neville and Ginny in the middle.

Her lips mouthed the words, "Wow" in amazement that the portrait had remain intact and pristine after the damage to the house in general.

Musical notes came out of the background and she hummed along the tune. After a moment more, it was Tsaikovski's Waltz of the Flowers, the music she listened to while she painted the ceiling.

"I listed to that while making the portrait in the ceiling. This waltz feels like I'm walking on flower fields." Luna whispered to herself, walking gracefully in the music.

Luna got back into the groove as she scourgified the walls to reveal the stationary Ravenclaw sigil she painted, covered in stars and swirls that floated and moved around the walls. There were rough doodles of unicorns and nifflers running after gold on the lower part of the wall. It felt an exhilarating rush to finally see all her art works back to life.

Just as she walked by the ruined bed, a slight reflection caught her eye underneath the worn and scattered sheets and dust. Upon closer inspection, it appeared to be rectangular, smooth polished maple on the sides. She picked the item up and turned it around.

The item she held was a picture frame of a younger and well groomed version of herself, around when she had been seven or eight years old, being hugged by a woman that looks exactly like her, except for the silvery blue eyes.

"Mum." Luna whispered, her face's brightness lessened and the gleeful smile from the music turned into a sad one once more. "I never got the chance to thank you for enchanting all my drawings and doodles. The doodles unfortunately only appeared when I'm in the house."

Luna stifled the tears that were threatening to come out of her eyes as she continued, "You know what the saddest thing is besides not having you at my wedding? I never figured out how to enchant my drawings to move. With that, my painting in the ceiling would have been perfect."

She held the picture close to her heart, clasped the window curtains and moved them to the side. The entirety of Ottery St. Catchpole appeared before her. The sun's position told her it was almost three o'clock and she would need to go back to Harry soon.

With her wand pointed at the closet, she whispered " _Accio_ Lion Hat." She expertly caught it and thanked her lucky stars that her charms to keep the contents of her closet dust free and clean were still intact.

Luna wore the hat and let out a soft melancholic sigh at not finding Harry a perfect gift for his birthday tomorrow.

She glanced at her surroundings and had a gut feel to bring along her sketch pad and drawing implements. The moment it touched her hands, she knew she found the perfect gift.

The sun shone from the window and she guessed it was already four o' clock. "See you soon, house." Luna whispered, a prayer and a promise thrown into the universe to be fulfilled before she apparated back home.

It was exactly four o' clock by the time Luna arrived home, judging by the felix the cat wall clock Harry bought during their travels around garage sales. Excited to be with her husband, she walked towards their room with a sketch pad in her hands, while the tune from the Waltz of the Flowers whistled in her lips.

With the door that opened slowly when she came in, she saw her husband sound asleep underneath the blankets. An empty bowl of chicken noodle soup was on the bedside table and his glasses beside it.

Luna sat down and caressed Harry's face and hair. She felt his temperature had slowly went back to normal, saw the color of his cheeks regain their vitality and heard his breathing mellowed down from the raspy sound it used to make a few days ago.

Harry felt Luna's hand on him, and opened his eyes. He saw her with same plain white shirt and jeans before she left, only this time, she wore a soft Gryffindor lion hat that mewled at him. "Welcome back home, my love. You kept your promise" He greeted. He pushed down the blankets and slowly raised himself up the pillows to sit. He traced the outline of her tears and wrapped his arms around her.

"I'm sorry I could not be there with you, Luna. I'm sorry I was weak and could not be your strength." Harry whispered into her ear.

Luna shook her head and replied, "I was never alone. Everytime I wanted to give up, I had you."

She removed herself from her husband's embrace and she took out the sketch pad from behind her. She opened the pages and it read in pastel colors of red, blue green and yellow letterings,

_Happy Unbirthday to you Harry! I hope you like this little gift from me to you!_

Turning another page, it showed a series of doodles outlining the rook, with various creatures running around. There are unicorns with daffodils, daisies and dirigible plums on the bottom. And there was Harry and Luna on broomsticks with dragons in the sky.

"Would you like to draw something in this page Harry?" Luna asked and handed him a box full of coloring implements.

Harry took some and drew two snitches in front of them and drew a small quaint house on top of the hill with a creek underneath.

"One last gift too, Mr. Potter." Luna intoned and showed him the picture frame she found.

Harry accepted the small frame from her hands and said, "Hi mum. I hope you're watching me and moonflower along with my mum up there."

He felt a loose bit of paper on the side of the picture frame and gently pulled it. It contained a small note and it reads,

_Picturae Locomotor, just a quick 45 degree right swish followed by three counterclockwise turns, say the incantation above then point at your doodles, my moonchild._

_Love, Pandora_

Luna saw the note written in her mom's handwriting and pieced it all together at once. Taking out her wand, she did as the note instructed and the doodles in her sketchpad came to life.

"This is the best gift I've ever received, besides you becoming my wife." Harry said, gently held Luna beside him and they watched their doodles move around for both of them to enjoy.


	2. Snorkacks and worries by the lake

**Snorkacks and worries by the lake**

"Every doodle, drawing, sketch and painting inside this sketch pad has a story, Harry." Luna whispers, brushing off a few stray hairs that cover Harry's eyes. The sun is setting, both of them anticipating Harry's birthday a few hours from now.

She takes a good glance at him and smiles softly, exuding her caring and softhearted nature. Those traits of hers are what he loves most about her, no matter what shades of sins and faults they both carry after the war.

Harry turns a page and sees a drawing of a creature that's a mix between a camel and a cow with a crumpled horn. Its fur coat is colored with different shades of purple and circular patterns littered around its body.

The doodle shows it conversing with a badger in front of a lake. The dialogue clouds between the two show them greeting each other a good day while they stare at the setting sun radiating its brilliance on the water's surface.

"So, what's the story behind this one?" Harry asks, his emerald eyes glancing towards the sad silvery grey from his wife.

"I made this back in first year, during the problem from the Chamber of Secrets. Cedric Diggory used to visit me at my house when we were younger, along with Ron and Ginny, to play during the summer. He was one of the best people I have ever known." Luna replies and narrates the story behind the doodle.

*Flashback*

Luna draws a snorkack on her sketchpad beside the lake. She whispers thankfully, "At least no one has tried to hide this sketchbook from me. Yet."

The oil pastel and pens are scattered around her, as erratic and absent-minded as their owner. Her eyebrows are knit together, focusing her efforts to capture the beauty for the black lake without the giant squid messing up the surface.

As she is absorbed in her art, she fails to notice a fourth year boy with yellow lined robes heading towards her.

He watches Luna draw the lake and marvels at her skill before interrupting her by saying, "Hi Luna."

Luna nearly takes her wand out at the one who attempts to interrupt her sketching, but when she sees who it is, she loosens up and realizes she's safe. "Hi Cedric. Care to join me for a bit?"

Cedric sits down beside her, whispering, "Sorry for interrupting your doodles, Luna."

The setting sun shines on his brown hair while his grey eyes watch Luna's hands moving around the sketchpad. ' _Never thought she was ambidexterous'_ He ponders to himself, enjoying his silent time with Luna, away from the fear of the Chamber of Secrets.

He initially just wants to do walks around the lake because of his worry for Cho Chang and her stay in the hospital wing. She is, after all, the other Ravenclaw he's fond off besides Luna. But seeing Luna at her finest makes him stay to view, while the lake breeze refreshes his body and soul from his prior worries.

Luna finishes around half an hour later with her face messy with oil pastel stains on her cheeks.

Cedric laughs thoughtfully at Luna and she laughs back once she notices that even the blue and bronze house crest on her robe is messy and colorful at the same time.

Her face reminds him of the time they accidentally painted her mom's curtains with neon green colors and he asks, "When will we ever grow up, Luna?"

"Who says we have to grow up?" Luna exclaims, looking at Cedric and quickly drawing a well defined badger with streaks of brown on its hair.

"I drew you along with me here, Cedric. A badger with a snorkack, with their worries by the lake." Luna adds, lifting the sketch pad from her messy hands and presents it closer for Diggory's viewing.

"Don't ever change, Luna Lovegood." Cedric replies with affection, like an older brother proud of his younger sister's talents.

After a few tweaks in the sketch's polishing, she looks to the opposite end of the lake and lets out a sigh. "I wish more people would be like you, Cedric. Ginny became different this year for some reason I don't understand. She has the worst case of nargles I've ever seen on anyone. Plus people in Ravenclaw take my stuff just because I see things different than all of them." She mutters sadly to herself.

Cedric puts an arm around Luna and ruffles her hair a bit. Normally, it annoys her when someone does it, but she surprisingly lets him do so.

"It's because they don't understand this simple fact. We've known you and the Lovegood family growing up. We know you are a genuinely good person and your quirks are like my quirks which make us who we are. The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination. You did surprise me by helping me with my transfiguration assignments. That's why I know you're brilliant. Don't let anyone take it away from you. Besides, I can be myself with you." Cedric explains, his tone emphasizes his worry for one of his first friends, quirky she may be.

"Silly, the nargles got you too." Luna responds, trying her best to calm his worries, as he cleans up her mess with his wand and they both head back to the castle once more.

*End of flashback*

"And that's how I drew that. I didn't have any friends at the time, but Cedric became the closest one I had to a friend until you, Hermione, Ron and Neville came with Ginny getting back to normal. He always made sure the badgers never bullied me and they never did." Luna ends her tale and rests her head on Harry's shoulder.

"Looks like we have more stories coming from you, Luna love." Harry remarks, holding Luna closer to him.

"And lets make more stories soon, Harry." Luna replies. A mischievous smirk appears on her lips and she proceeds to tickle her newly recovered husband as they laugh the night away before Harry's birthday.


	3. Double, Toil and Trouble

**Double, Toil and Trouble**

Harry's birthday party finishes with an obviously drunk Ron bringing a giggling and flat-out booze-hammered Hermione with him through Harry's Floo. A flash of green fire later, only Hannah and Neville are left in the newlywed Potters' flat.

Finally left to silence in the enlarged kitchen, Hannah Longbottom brings out a small garden pot with a small Dirigible Plum planted from her bag, as a gift to Harry on his birthday.

' _This has been fun,_ ' she mentions in her own mindwhile she glances at the aftermath of the party. There are pink, purple, red, and for some odd reason, sparkly magenta confetti scattered on various parts of the small flat Luna and Harry share in the middle of London, overlooking the river Thames. ' _Only Luna would think sparkly magenta is an acceptable color for confetti and magical party poppers._ ' Hannah muses while shaking her head.

As Hannah readies the gift, Neville takes his time to look over the small garden inside the balcony that Harry and Luna made. The left side of the makeshift greenery houses the herbs Harry uses for cooking, such as rosemary, thyme, basil, oregano, curry leaves and cinnamon. On the right side is a reflection of Luna's whimsy. The butternut squash is haphazardly planted alongside the tomatoes, peas and cabbage, forming a rough green smiley of different colors.

Neville closes his eyes and takes a deep breath before looking at the garden again. His genuinely pleased smile tells his opinion of their garden without words. "Well done." Neville whispers at the finely maintained garden.

Meanwhile, Luna decides to give them a little treat from her sketchbook as a reward for being the last people standing. _"After I'm done cleaning, of course."_

After a few flicks from her wand, the living room is spotless again. Harry comes to the living room after storing the gifts he received for his birthday. Seeing his wife's effortless cleaning, he smiles affectionately at Luna, then invites the Longbottoms to the living room, pointing to the apple green bean bag couch.

"So, what do you have planned, Harry?" Neville asks as Hannah hands the Dirigible Plum sapling to Luna, who squeals in delight about the prospect of making her mom's floating plum soup in a month or so.

"Well, I think we ought to show you something Luna found yesterday at her old home." Harry replies, as they all make themselves comfortable in the bean bag couch.

Luna places the plant on the light green coffee table with scarlet linings on the sides and opens her sketchpad nearby.

"Since Ron and Hermione are plastered by wrackspurts along with alcohol, I'll reserve their view of this rather special sketchbook for another time," she remarks while browsing through the pages.

Luna stops the scanning of various doodles from her sketchbook after a while and shows them an earlier creation of hers. It shows the images of the Hogwarts Hospital wing witha nurseand two blonde girls, all stirring a light olive-colored potion in a detailed outline of the hospital room's potions-brewing area. The girl on the left side has a shoulder sling supporting her left arm while donning Hufflepuff colors. The other wears Ravenclaw colors and radish earrings.

"I remember this, Luna. This was during our second year, before that Gryffindor-Slytherin Quidditch match with a rogue bludger." Hannah turns her glance at Harry and continues, "And you have the worst of luck in Quidditch matches. Cursed broom during first year, rogue bludger in second year, dementors at third year and banned at the championship match in fifth year."

They all laugh at Hannah's observations and Harry replies, "That's the reason why I didn't even want to try going professional. Auror work is safer by far with the amount of Quidditch mishaps I found myself in during my stay at Hogwarts."

The laughter continues for a while before Luna interrupts her three companions with a faux stern Snape impersonation. "Now if you're done laughing like a couple of hyenas, let us go back to the sketchbook."

Thus, Luna begins her tale of a typical sunny day in the middle of Hogwarts, just a day or two after the petrification of Mrs. Norris.

*Flashback*

Luna is walking around absent-mindedly in the corridors since her classes are done when she spots a lone, scared Hufflepuff student with her arm stretched awkwardly, her body lying on the floor, and blood staining the stone hallway. She halts the reactionary scream of fright that threatens to release itself from her lips and takes a moment to assess the situation.

She looks around the entire scene and stops her search at the staircase. She notices Hannah's missing shoe is stuck on the trick step in the grand staircase of Hogwarts, which she deduces as the primary suspect for this gruesome scene.

" _It is a bloody mess and it seems that a portion of her elbow is missing. Whether it is due to fear from the Chamber of Secrets or the angle of the fall, she's is in no shape to go to the Infirmary Wing on her own power,"_ Luna tells herself after surveying the scene.

Luna's typical dreamy expression disappears and her senses sharpen to resolve the mishap before her. She cleans and vanishes the mess, covers the nasty wound with her robes and mutters, " _Locomotor Mortis_ ," at Hannah's body. With all these tasks done, she runs towards the Hospital Wing with a quiet Hannah Abbott in tow.

Luna uncharacteristically pushes the door with forceand shouts, "Madam Pomfrey!" She repeats this a couple of times until the healer arrives.

Madam Pomfrey fears initially that it is another petrifaction or worse, but instead finds an exhausted Luna Lovegood and a barely conscious Hannah Abbott with her wand arm covered in thick black cloth.

The healer points Luna to the nearby chair, clears the grime on her clothes, and then turns her attention on Hannah, who is now unconscious due to blood loss.

Poppy raises Miss Abbott'shead and revives her, forcing her to drink the blood replenishing potion. Once the vial is empty, she puts her back to sleep.

Seeing the most immediate danger gone, she proceeds to inspect the injury. To her dismay, the Humerus is missing from the shoulder socket. _"Merlin! Her Humerus is missing,"_ she tells herself in shock and turns her attention to Luna, who is currently pale at the scene before her.

From the initial idea of being forceful, she instead takes a calmer method for Luna, in which she inquires, "Miss Lovegood, when you cleared the scene, did you see a bone away from her body?"

Luna nods meekly, realizing the problem she created due to her nearly panicking at Hannah's scene.

Poppy smiles softly and tries to soothe her nerves. "You did a brave thing, Miss Lovegood. I can't fault you for anything by bringing her here. We can fix this. Don't worry."

Luna nods again and leaves Poppy to treat Hannah Abbott's wound. For a minute or two, everything appears to be fine, until Madam Pomfrey realizes something missing from her summoned list of potions.

Poppy Pomfrey prides herself in a well-stocked Hogwarts Infirmary, but the last budget cut from the Hogwarts board of Governors has left her with an empty bottle of Skelegro at the moment. If she remembers correctly, the last patient to drink Skelegro was Fred Weasley after a prank that misfired. Fred lost the tip of his right index finger,which she mended effortlessly.

The healer ponders for a moment about Hannah Abbott's case, weighing in sending her to St. Mungos or brewing the Skelegro herself.

Recalling Ms. Abbott's medical file, she realizes it would still be a burden financially for her father if she sent her up to St. Mungos for a missing bone. However, she only tried to brew Skelegro once with two other people. Creating that potion is easier as a three person job, unless the brewers attempting it aloneare Severus Snape, Lily Evans or Horace Slughorn, who are some of the best hands in potions she's ever seen.

" _I do have a cauldron full of murtlap essence and a bottle of memory potion, which are the base of Skelegro. Can I really do this?"_ Poppy Pomfrey discusses within herself, surveying a still shell-shocked Luna Lovegood.

A moment later, she reaches a decision. Luna and Poppy both glance towards each other and they reach an epiphany.

_And then the day came,_  
when the risk  
to remain tight  
in a bud  
was more painful  
than the risk  
it took  
to Blossom.

Luna remembers those words from a poem she read from one of the mundane-written books in the Library. Her attention sharpens once more and focuses at the school healer.

"Come here Ms. Lovegood, it's time to put your presence to good use. Do take note however that if word gets out of this Hospital Wing about asking you to brew this potion with me, I will be very cross with you," Healer Pomfrey tells Luna, pointing to the Memory Potion, which Luna promptly pours intothe murtlap essence after Poppy's go signal.

Handing Luna a ladle, she orders, "Stir for seventeen minutes clockwise and then four minutes counter clockwise."

Pomfrey proceeds with chopping the Chinese chomping cabbage and preparing separate bowls for the three puffer-fish, five scarab beetles, three eyes of newts and two salamander tails.

"Double, double toil and trouble. Fire burn, and caldron bubble." Luna begins to invoke, as she impersonates a hag while stirring.

"Will you please cease with the Macbeth, Miss Lovegood? It's absolutely ridiculous." Madam Pomfrey exclaims, seeing the irony of their possible theatrical scene at the moment. "Besides, we're only two witches. We need one more to imitate that."

Just that moment, the hospital curtain slowly opens and a haggard-looking Hannah Abbott makes her way to the two brewers. She winces with excruciating pain whenever she moves her arm, but does her best to maintain a straight face for the two.

"I think we can make that scene in Macbeth. My father works in Rubens Winikus and Company Inc. as a Potions master and they need three people to make one large batch, even with the self-stirring cauldrons." She chimes in, picking up the julienned Chinese chomping cabbage and putting it into the potion, turning the crimson mixture into a light amber.

Picking up the other ladle, Hannah helps Luna stir in the Skelegro mixture, forgetting the pain during the potion-making process because of the entertainment Poppy delivers imitating the voice of those hags from Macbeth while saying these words:

"Five squashed scarabs

Tossed in the simmering cauldron,

Eyes of newts, tails of salamanders

Mixed by three ladles of cold iron.

Skeleton grows, I solemnly wish,

An offering of three puffer-fish.

And with this I make this potion done,

Heal and mend back her bones into one."

After finishing the two minutes for counter clockwise, a dark cloud of blue and black with the sounds of ravens crowing accompanying it appears on top of the Skelegro cauldron. Raindrops of blue and black start falling down on the light olive mixture and it turns into a shade of puce, only producing enough for two bottles.

"Now rest Ms. Abbott, you need to stay overnight for the bone to grow back comfortably. Off to bed with you." Madam Pomfrey orders, smiling at a weary and pale Hannah Abbott.

Hannah drinks the foul-tasting potion and grimaces with each gulp before closing her eyes to sleep.

Luna receives a mouthed thanks from Madam Pomfrey as she leaves the Hospital Wing.

*End of Flashback*

"And that's how I made Skelegro with Hannah and Madam Pomfrey. I never did find out what happened to that batch, besides Hannah's experience with it." Luna finishes with her story, her face currently crunching up to the conundrum of her thoughts.

A moment later, Harry sheds some light into her inquiry **.** "I think it is the exact same Skelegro I drank during the second year in Hogwarts. I never realized you were a dab hand at potions."

Luna merely shakes her head and laughs with Hannah and Neville, leading them to the floo, from which they disappear later after a burst of fire.

Harry closes his eyes for a moment, his head and back reclining on the bean bag couch, then gently feels a weight rest on his lap. The scent of mangoes and lilacs fills the air, calming his tired body and mind after an eventful birthday.

He opens his eyes from his rest and gives Luna a smirk, seeing his wife's body on top of him. "Since there are no more of those annoying visitors, let me ease your worries with my birthday present, love," Luna whispers and eventually they find themselves 'playing' in the couch like the newlyweds they are.


	4. A matter of trust and baseball bats

**A matter of trust and baseball bats**

A week had passed since his birthday and everything had been going smoothly, until yesterday evening, when Luna hadn't shown up after telling him that she had a surprise for him.

In his loneliness, Harry brought Luna's sketchbook with him instead, thinking it might ease his worry of waiting for any word from Luna. Normally, she told him about excursions she was going in, but there were other times that she was so absorbed in her activities that she forgot to tell him where she was. After all, Luna always had been and continued to be absentminded at times.

He leaned back on his desk chair and opened Luna's sketchbook to a random page. To his surprise, it was a detailed sketch of a handkerchief with a feminine hand handing the same cloth to a child. It had the initials 'PL to LL' embroidered on the four corners.

A soft wind chime sound interrupted his viewing and the door opened to reveal one of the few people he still disliked up to now. Zacharias Smith, assistant filing officer at the Magical Games and Sports department.

' _Smith is just in time for his department's monthly incident reports. And it is rather crucial since they're preparing the English, Scottish and Irish teams for the World Cup. But why does he have that smirk on his lips? Perhaps he has a plot?'_ Harry's thought as he observed his visitor.

"Just the man I wanted to see today." Zach opened up the conversation after placing a bunch of files on Harry's desk and sitting down on the chair to the left.

"Besides these reports you were expecting, I wanted to give you something you should have."

Zach took something from a magically sealed bag and placed it on Harry's table. It was the same handkerchief drawn in the sketchbook. "Your wife left that in my place last night. I enjoyed her company."

Harry's confident façade disappeared and his eyes furrowed in annoyance. "Never tell a girl you like her. It makes you look like an idiot."

Leaning comfortably in the chair, Zach looked into Harry's eyes and said, "Really now? The childish name calling is supposedly above you, Potter. Oh, I bet you waited and wondered on why your wife didn't come home last night then?"

Zach had these thoughts up his head at that very moment. _'And so far, I've done a good job hiding from your wife since I took that handkerchief when she had her back turned. This is working well, but perhaps I need to hurry setting up the trap before that Loony woman comes in.'_

"She was with me last night of course and I wanted to return the handkerchief after having some _fun_ at my place. And since she's still passed out, I decided to give it to you."

"Why, you condescending git!" Harry stood up from his chair and slammed his palms down on his desk. The senior Auror almost pulled his wand at Smith, but he knew the value of not raising his wand lightly at every offense. "Ever heard your own sentiments of self-preservation for not seeking your death wish today? Because I know Luna would not even touch the likes of you with a ten-foot pole."

Zach merely raised an eyebrow from his chair. "Sentiment is a chemical defect found on the losing side. Reacting to hearsay then, Potter? How unprofessional of you. A man of your position should always investigate instead of threatening honest upstanding citizens like me." Zach mocked, standing up from his chair and pointing to the stack of files on his desk. "Now get back to work before I report this little repartee with my boss."

' _The seeds of deceit have been planted. I'll just let him water it and see it grow.'_ With his goal accomplished, he said the next set of words. "I'll see my way out." Zach remarked, walking towards the door cockily. _'Applaud as I exit.'_

Just as he was about to get to the door, Luna burst into Harry's office looking haggard. She was wearing a white shirt and red sleeves with the words "Daddy's Little Monster" written in the front. She was also wearing some really tight jeans shorts with black knee-high socks and her battered white trainers. Her blond hair was tied in pigtails and dyed blue on the left and red on the right. The defining difference was her wand was tucked behind her left ear and she was holding a wooden baseball bat with the words 'good' written on it.

Zach took a few steps back from Luna, positioning his body nearer to the door and decided to push a few more buttons before calling it a day. "Just the person I was looking for. Did you enjoy last night?" Zach remarked, with an evil smirk directed at Luna while she partially blocked his way. ' _Oh shit. I have to get out of here.'_

"What the hell are you talking about? You only pointed me to which shop I could get this shirt last night." Luna retorted with her eyebrows furrowed in concentration. Her eyes glanced around the room and then found her handkerchief on Harry's table. "I was looking for that the entire night and the better part of the morning, Smith. Why is it here?"

"You left that at my place of course." Zach responded, his face exuding triumph. ' _It's all going to plan, hook, line and sinker.'_

"You fucking liar!" Luna screamed, glaring at a smug Zacharias Smith.

Luna took a deep breath and remembered the time she drew the handkerchief during her fifth year.

It was a quiet evening at the Ravenclaw common room, where the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw looked after Luna. The quirky blonde was alone drawing the sketch of two hands holding the same handkerchief her mother gave her a week before she died.

She remembered these words as she put the finishing touches on her lifelike sketch, _'And this handkerchief was given to me as a child and now I pass it on to you Luna.'_

Fixing the shading on her mother Pandora's hand and forearm, she continued, _'Your father and I held this handkerchief together, just as my mother and her mother before her had done. It has always brought good luck to a marriage, a sign of fidelity. It isn't tangible magic like what I do, but you can say that when you find the man of your dreams and share that moment with him, you'd know that he'll always be loyal to you, just as you are to him.'_

Luna's lips curled into a soft smile, as she thought about those emerald eyes of a certain Harry Potter.

To Luna's exasperation last night, the moment she dreamed and planned to happen disappeared as she looked far and wide for her missing handkerchief. She searched all the possible leads, from her house to the shop and to the people she talked with that night. No one had even seen her handkerchief, and the last lead she had was Zacharias Smith.

Harry's eyes narrowed at Luna and Zach, about to take his wand out while Luna aimed the tip of the baseball bat at Smith.

Luna glanced into her husband's eyes and remembered the words from a particular Shakespearean play. ' _Jealousy is a green eyed monster, which mocks the meat it feeds on. And Harry is the very epitome of it now. I'm really going to hurt that liar Smith and talk to my love after. Could he really believe this pig?'_

There was tenseness in the air, a moment of sharp deafening silence inside the office. Luna glared at Zach for his deceit and her worry about Harry. If the tables were turned, she knew even she would have a hard time handling the infinitesimal possibility of Harry cheating on her.

Meanwhile, Zach prepared to defend himself on the way out or escape when the newlyweds started to fight. _"Any moment now,"_ he told himself, observing the senior Auror and biggest roadblock to his political ambitions.

The doubt in Harry's mind clouded his judgement. The vitriol contained within him was about spew forth, aimed at the woman he loved, when all of a sudden, Luna's handkerchief spun in midair and flew at Smith, attempting to suffocate him. A shrill voice came from the cloth, shrieking the word "Thief!" at Zach.

Three things happened as it said that word. Zach realized that his plan backfired on him and made a run for it. Luna and the handkerchief both chased after him and Harry paused for a moment from the guilt at nearly losing faith at someone he loved from the words of someone who wishes him ill.

The noise of the baseball bat smashing into various objects echoed around the Auror office. Harry decided to follow after them, shouting apologies and repairing the damage with his wand. ' _Of all the things that should have made me believe Luna over him, it had to be a thief's curse. Looks like I'll have to talk to her later.'_

"I'm sorry Luna!" Harry shouted behind the ruckus ahead of him and Luna only glared at him for a moment for distracting her then turned back to continue the chase.

' _Of course, that would be after I save Zacharias Smith from Luna because of his stupidity. When I catch him, I'll stun and lock him in the detention cell here for oral defamation, but if Luna does before I do, she will pulverize him with her baseball bat and burn his remains with Fiendfyre. '_


	5. Siren's Song.

**Siren's Song.**

The sky darkens to welcome night once more. Today is June 30th and another anniversary of Albus Dumbledore's death passes through the dusk, almost done for the day.

Luna lounges in the couch they've placed on the balcony at the spruced up Shrieking Shack for a starry night such as this.

Harry brings out two glasses and a bottle of Scottish whiskey. "It's been almost a full year now since we've found your sketchbook, love. I suppose you'd like to add more doodles there, moon flower?"

"I have plenty more. Ron and Hermione were the ones that got heated after seeing their doodle together. I must say, they were already like a bickering married couple since my first year. It was obvious they would end up together." Luna glances at her husband and takes one of the glasses after Harry pours some for her.

He touches her cheek for a moment, before letting go as she sips a bit of the whiskey.

"I drink to make other people interesting," Luna opens up the conversation, while staring at the sky, "well sometimes at least, but never with you. You're already interesting enough for a lifetime, love."

Placing a soft kiss on his cheek, she turns her attention again to the heavens above, "I did try it once at Hogwarts when everything seemed to collapse after the Department of Ministry, but Professor Dumbledore of all people caught me. He already had tha gnarled hand of his in my fifth year and he said, 'I suppose you are sober enough to accompany me to my office, Miss Lovegood?'"

*Flashback*

Luna follows the Headmaster to his office as her head throbs from the Irish stout the twins sneaked out for her. The only thing that keeps her from freaking out is her tightly-held sketchbook and her wand tucked behind her ear.

Upon arriving, Albus absentmindedly waves his hand as a gesture for her to sit. "I'm disappointed to have seen you drink near the lake, Miss Lovegood. I have to deduct twenty points from Ravenclaw unfortunately. "

Professor Dumbledore goes to his seat, putting less weight on his blackened hand before making himself comfortable.

"If you don't mind me asking, why is your hand nearly burned, Headmaster?" Luna inquires, tilting her head to the right for a moment, locking eyes with Albus.

"That is a question for another day, Miss Lovegood." Albus replies, his tone evasive.

She nods then tries to break the ice, "May I draw your hand on my sketchbook, headmaster?"

He looks pensive for a moment, before the twinkle in his eyes return and he smiles at Luna. "Yes, you may."

Luna takes out one of her charcoal pencils in her pocket and starts to draw. Every vein, every nook and cranny is captured by her sketch to the delight of the Headmaster. "The magic known as the arts escapes me abilities, never regret nurturing it. Would you like a lemon drop?"

"I will do my best. Yes, thank you." She replies, taking the lemon drop and sipping on it while continuing. Luna glances to the left and sees a broken ring with an unassuming stone intact. Etched on the stone is a bisected triangle with a circle in the middle. _'So he searches for the Hallows as well…'_

Focusing back on her work, she attempts to prod for more information. "What do you think about the story of the three brothers, Headmaster?"

"As I would say, every legend has a basis in reality. How's the sketch coming along?" Albus replies, changing the topic while smiling at Luna.

Luna finishes and shows him the sketch of his gnarled hand in vivid detail. Her eyebrows are furrowed while assessing her work. Silence passes for a moment before she remarks, "Something's missing though. Judging by the amount of Nargles I see on your hand, they're all cluttered on your ring finger. Let me add something for a moment."

She quickly weaves her hand with her pencil into adding the ring into the illustration. Once she finishes, she beams at the Headmaster, showing his hand with the Gaunt family ring with the sign of the three brothers in the middle.

"I suppose people who search for the Hallows have their reasons. I'm sure you've searched, since my father and I already are looking as well." She nibbles her lips, trying to find the right words to say.

"To be perfectly honest, I don't want to see the three together being held by one person, Headmaster." Luna muses, placing her charcoal pencil inside one of her many pockets. She points her wand at the sketch and mutters a preservation spell, waiting for Dumbledore's thoughts.

"How did you come to that conclusion?" Albus inquires, wondering on the insights of the quirky but brilliant Ravenclaw with him.

She launches into giving her observations. "In my opinion, having the three together will only bring grief and suffering. The cloak might have been used to assassinate people or by hiding away from the possibility of death, you get to see your loved ones killed around you when using it. I'd go mad with that. The Elder Wand has a bloody history, of course it is a given."

"How about the Resurrection Stone, Miss Lovegood?" Albus interjects, his eyes twinkling brighter at her insights.

"I find the stone like a siren song. Who would not want to bring someone back from death? I'd give anything to have my mother back." Luna pauses, the brightness in her eyes disappear for a moment before she continues, "It draws people for the false hope of resurrection and makes them do a stupid decision in getting themselves killed because of grief. Since fully functioning and perfect homunculi are beyond the abilities of magic as of now, I suppose what we will actually see are shades. I'm sorry if I'm rambling already. My father and I have these discussions often and we come to the same conclusion about it. We want to find these items, but not use them. The journey is worth more than the destination itself."

"Not to worry Miss Lovegood, I find that your observations have merit." Albus replies, shaking her hand with his healthy one and gestures to the door. "Have a good day ahead and I'm only letting you off with a warning for now."

Just as Luna was about to leave, Albus calls her and says, "The truth is a precious and horrible thing, Hallow seeker. With that said, my office is always welcome if you need help and guidance."

He taps his hand on the Elder wand on his desk and then her eyes land on the ring. She connects it after a second more, like a baseball bat to the head. _'Elder berries on his wand and the sign of three brothers on the ring. Perhaps Harry's cloak may be the third. Oh Merlin! The truth is a horrible thing and it might lead to his doom because of searching. How ironic, I pieced it all together but no one will believe me. Not even my father. '_

"Thank you for your time. I'll take your offer and perhaps sketch you doing an imitation of Disney's The Sorcerer's apprentice." Luna quips, closing the door behind her, after seeing the pained look in Albus' eyes.

*End of flashback*

"So that's why I remember this day vividly. He was a good man with faults setting things up for his view of the Greater Good. But like Tom, he misses the point. We can only guide people to the right direction, let them live their lives and watch them surprise us. We shouldn't treat others like puppets on strings." Luna whispers. Her face is sombre and nostalgic, as the pain from the memory draws her further into the spell that backfired on her mother.

Harry places a hand on her shoulder and says, "Luna love, there's something I have to tell you."

"What is it Harry?" Luna questions, worry lining her face.

"The Hallows are true," Harry replies, taking out the invisibility cloak from one of his bags nearby. "The cloak saved my, Ron and Hermione's lives a couple of times. It can be and has been used to protect loved ones. I've held the wand and the rush in unexplainable when I fixed my first wand. It was effortless and euphoric with the idea that I can do near anything with that wand. That's why I kept it hidden and placed a dummy wand at Dumbledore's grave. The stone convinced me to sacrifice myself to kill the last Hallow. But other than that, it is a curse. I hope that it won't be found any time soon."

Luna wraps her arms around him, rest her head on his shoulder and whisper, "How did Professor Dumbledore get the stone?"

Harry begins to describe the entirety of the Gaunt shack in the middle of the forest in Little Hangleton, adding his observations as an Auror based on the aftermath. As he helps visualize the scene with words, Luna imagines every moment, getting lost in her thoughts.

*Luna's musings*

Albus walks towards the Gaunt house in the middle of the night. The dead trees give off shadows of foreboding under the moonlit sky and the cricket noises grew quieter as he nears his destination. The air is thick with tension, with dark magic swirls protectively outside its treasure. If Albus could liken it with anything he's seen in his lifetime, it was like facing a dragon jealously hoarding its riches.

With a tentative flick from the Deathstick, the magics in the house glow red and launches acid sprays and crimson cutting spells at him. His wand vibrates in anticipation and conjures marble walls in front of him. _'Why do I feel that the wand excited? Is it the thrill of the fight ahead within these walls?'_

Dumbledore counters with a steady flow of a pure white light energy from his wand, tracing the opposite Egyptian runes from the ward to deactivate it.

The ten inferi that lumber ahead towards him are immolated a second later. The elder wand counters each and every dark spell, creature and ward effortlessly, like a smouldering knife through butter. His path is lined with corpses of hell hounds, inferi and the remains of a heavily fortified gargoyle. Pockmarks of explosions and blanked patches of earth complete the picture of his assault on the defences.

Inside the shack, lies dusty floors and counters and in the middle is the Gaunt ring in the middle of a ritual circle. "Chalk with silver and the _Uruz_ rune connected in repeating sequences." The chalk glows for a moment before fading. _'Damn, I activated the shackled creature within.'_

An amber-colored light fixes itself on Albus and then a crazed dementor charges at him from within the circle. _'Using a starved Dementor this time? Your depravity knows no ends, Tom. I'm sorry, but I will have to put this creature down permanently.'_

Quickly making complex patterns on the tip of his wand, he focuses on the memory of his first woollen socks from Dobby and shouts, " _Expecto Patronus Lamina!_ "

A silver beam of light resembling Fawkes comes out of his wand and turns into a straight beam of light, which Albus uses to slash downward and slice the Dementor in half. He pants in exhaustion afterwards. "I wish I could leave that spell for Miss Granger or Minerva to use, but the spell drain is arithmetically horrible and no solution in sight."

The circle burns itself on the ground and Albus pauses to cast one more magical detection spell. _'All clear, except for the ring.'_

He walks towards it and he surveys the ring. It shows a bisected triangle with a circle enclosed on the stone. _'By Merlin, it must be the real Resurrection stone.'_

"Albus, put the ring on. You can bring me, mom and dad back, so we can fight that Tom guy together." He hears, and looking upon the source of the voice, he sees his sister Ariana before she died, a spectre of pale white glowing amidst the darkened room.

"Ariana," Albus whispers longingly, "I'm sorry I could not save you."

"Don't worry Albus, you can bring us back to life again with that ring." The spectre replies, holding Albus' arm. "It's time to put it on."

"Alright," he remarks, "I will so I can bring you back."

Forgetting all common sense and the nagging feeling that there might be another trap, he puts the ring on and twists the stone thrice. The spectre smiles menacingly before fading. "See you soon, Albus."

The feeling of warmth dissipates as it is replaced by pure agony of the sensation of a thousand searing needles digging into his very flesh. The blackened flesh emits a sickly green hue, climbing its way like a coming storm, quickly making its way to his forearm. He lets out a scream of helplessness while trying with all his might to keep his wits together with occulumency. For moments, he feels as if he is fighting in a tug of war against a giant, but when he feels the slack from the unimaginable pain, he dives his thoughts immediately into his own little mind palace, their home in Godric's Hollow.

Under his bed, he keeps all the memories of the darkest magics he's ever encountered and all those memories of Gellert Grindelwald. A cartoonish mouse reminds him of spells they've discussed previously. _'Wait, I've seen this once in Gellert's Notes from Drumstrang. Sanskrit runes, the word Antakamana meaning jaws of death, the magical variant of the Black Plague. We made something that hinders it and pushes it back temporarily because it is literally incurable as it attacks the blood and magical core of the victim. '_

"How dare you desecrate the memory of my sister?" He shouts with indignation, taking the Elder wand and pointing it on his hand. " _Purgatio Lux! Purgatio Lux! Purgatio Lux!"_ A steam of red, gold and orange burst out from his wand, stopping the curse from spreading and pushing it back to the point of the actual ring. He pants heavily from the exertion and pops away, back outside of Hogwarts.

"I was a fool born out of greed. There's not much time, I have to so much to prepare." He whispers, summoning Snape to his office with his phoenix patronus to hinder the spread of the consuming curse on his hand.

*End of Luna's musings*

"Albus must have experienced agony at seeing, feeling and touching the Hallows and never managing to unite them. He paid so high a price for greed and a gamble that might not have worked in the first place." Luna reflects on these words for a bit, before looking into her husband's eyes.

Her heart softly beats, knowing their hunt for the Hallows was not in vain. After those thoughts comes a crushing fear in her heart, just like her fear of gray-colored spells, it vacuums all hope and happy thoughts normally residing in her mind. The thought of those three items of immense power is like staring into an abyss with promises of eternity within reach.

" _To the organized mind, death is the next great adventure, Albus once said. But even he was tempted by the thought of someone dear to him. What could happen if those three were to be held by one person, be it Harry or Dumbledore? No, I must warn him. It is too dangerous a tool in the wrong hands."_ She tells herself, clasping Harry's hand firmly.

Her grey eyes grow larger every moment, focused on the emerald green of her husband. There is worry and sadness in his soul that is almost tangible between their intertwined fingers. "Never seek to complete it, Harry. Promise me?" Luna's eyes are filled with anxiety, the pounding of her heart speeding up further inside of her, waiting urgently for a response.

"I thrice vow and swear on my magic to never seek to complete the Hallows. I want to end the power of the Elder Wand so Albus won't have to have his grave disturbed anymore. The cloak stays in Ignotus' and our line, while the stone is lost and hopefully loses its power once the wand dies out with me." Harry replies with a determination burning within him for his wife, placing a soft kiss on her lips, which she accepts gratefully. "I love you Luna, anything for my little Hallow seeker."

She breathes lightly now, the gripping emotions in her heart ebb away from his sincere words and a vow. "I love you Harry, my master of death." Luna replies with a grin on her lips.

And with those words, they stay up drinking quietly on the makeshift balcony of the Shrieking Shack under the stars above. Clinging close together, their thoughts wander on the frailty of people in choosing the worst things. "I'll do my best as long as I have you by my side." Harry whispers, kissing her fully on the lips before enjoying his wife's ministrations under the blinking orbs in the dark blue abyss in the sky.


	6. Light

**Light**

"Bye mommy!" Seven-year-old Lily waves to Luna, who smiles at her daughter before leaving for her Quibbler assignment about Rolf Scamander's latest find.

"Are you ready for our day out in Paris, Lily?" Harry asks as he changes his formal shoes to trainers. He brings a black backpack with enough clothes and snacks for a day, along with a map of Paris and marks for apparition points around the city.

"Yes Daddy, I'm ready!" Lily exclaims, wearing a pink hoodie with a warming charm enchantment for the colder weather they'll be facing later.

"Hold my hand then, Lily." Harry instructs, and they side-along apparate to _Square René Viviani._

Appearing by the bronze fountain in the park, Harry says, "First stop is a gift for your mommy. We're going to Shakespeare and Company for a quill. She likes collecting those and even fixes them up for later use."

A few minutes later, Lily spots the sign for the bookstore and pulls Harry with her, just as he was about to take a wrong turn. _'I have glasses, but she still spots it first. My trainees would give me flak for that,'_ He ponders, as they arrive at the colorful bookstore that reminds him of more of Flourish  & Blotts than an organized muggle one.

There are plenty of colorful books haphazardly arranged with couches and various people reading in the shop. Picture frames hang around some parts of the wall, with various quotations like, 'Do not be inhospitable to strangers lest they be angels in disguise.'

As Harry picks out a quill for Luna, Lily runs to the piano and watches a teenage girl with billowing brunette hair play Beethoven's Fur Elise. She closes her eyes and begins to hum the tune while slowly dancing to the beat, to the delight of the pianist.

Once Harry decides on a periwinkle blue and bronze quill, he spots Lily dancing. He grins at her antics before joining her dance for a bit. After a while, he turns to the piano player and says, "Thank you for your time."

"No worries, I enjoyed having a little princess dance to my beat. I'm Monique by the way," the pianist replies, before noticing the green eyes and faint lightning bolt scar. She catches herself before she lets the shock appear. A brighter smile appears on her lips then she adds, "I am glad you decided to choose Paris for a day tour, _Le Survivant_."

Lily waves her hand at Monique responding with, " _Merci! Au revoir, Monique!"_ Harry, meanwhile, nods in acknowledgement, before paying for the quill and leaves the bookstore with a skipping Lily beside him. "Let's go see _La Cathedral de Notre Dame_ , Lily. Maybe we'll get to see the bell tower if we're lucky."

They make a quick stop at a café at the corner of _Rue Lagrange_ and _Quai de Montebello_ , to get some more water after Lily drank half a bottle of water in one go. Harry was about to give her a stare, but she quickly remarks, "I was thirsty with all the walking and dancing, daddy." Harry shakes his head at her and gets a few more and stuffs it inside the charmed backpack. "We'll be doing plenty today, Lily love. You'll enjoy the trip, I promise."

All he got in return is his daughter's less than enthusiastic reply, "Alright."

After crossing the river Seine through _Pont au Double_ , Harry spots the tourist lines for the tour of Notre Dame and it hits him like a wet blanket in the face that the cathedral queue is crowded.

"Not sure if we can proceed with this one, Lily," Harry remarks and earns him a sad pout from Lily, who has the same piercing silvery grey eyes as her mom.

Just as they are about to walk away, Harry spots a blonde-haired auror moving into the cathedral without paying any mind to the visitors. A few moments later, the auror walks toward them. Judging from the robes, he's a senior one. His intimidating mien and no-nonsense demeanor reminds him of Kingsley or Alastor, but with his neat blonde hair and boyish good looks, he seems easier to approach than those battle-worn men.

Harry taps his wand from his pocket and a strong _notice-me-not_ charm blankets the area. The auror smiles approvingly and towers over Harry and Lily. With a quick salute, the man greets them. "Welcome to my beloved Paris, Mister and Miss Potter. I am Senior Auror Auguste Enjolras," Harry shakes Auguste's offered right hand firmly.

"Good to meet you, Auguste, please call me Harry." Harry shifts from his cordial tone to a professional one, "Do you prefer traditionally made croissants?" Harry asks, as he gestures for his daughter to greet the auror.

Lily shakes Auguste's hand shyly as Enjolras raises an eyebrow in acknowledgement. After a brief pause he replies, "I do but there is only one, and unfortunately our gift from the battle of Vienna is burning from the stoves of incompetent bakers as of late."

Harry's regards Auguste for a moment and nods with a long sigh of frustration. "Either way, I'd like to thank you for your time."

"Before you leave, there is one more thing I'd like to impart," Auguste remarks, taking out a tourist guide of Paris. "The photos in there are portkey locations to speed up your travel in Paris. Just touch the picture and say the name of the place you want to go to. This is your free museum pass and lets you wander around places, like Notre Dame, unimpeded, unless restricted by the aurors around the city."

The tall auror smiles softly at Lily, then conjures a pimpernel flower from his wand and hands it to her. "I hope I have not frightened you little one." Lily smiles and boldly faces Auguste and takes the flower to put in her hair. "Thank you, Mr. Auguste."

"The pleasure is mine." Turning his attention to Harry, he gives him a quick salute and walks away, leaving with the words, "The corsairs arrive at Malta for St. Elmo."

' _It's even worse than I thought. Better not make Lily worry.'_ Harry tells himself as he holds Lily's hand to walk into the cathedral. The beauty of the dome and architecture astounds them both, stone walls and cathedral windows shining light inward. The very building itself engulfs them with the wonder of science and architecture which is _Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Paris_ , along with the labor of hundreds of builders and artisans to build it.

"It's bigger than our rookery, Daddy. Can we expand it further like this?" Lily inquires as they continue to walk around.

"We can certainly try, Lily." Harry replies in amusement. A few moments later, Harry touches the picture of the bell tower and activates it, earning an enthusiastic wow from Lily as she gets to see a great view of Paris through the cathedral.

"See the huge bells Daddy?" Lily exclaims, pointing to the large bells around them. "Pity, Quasimodo is no longer here to play them for us."

Harry smiles affectionately at the sentiment and Lily breaks his train of thought by saying, "Let's go to the animals this time dad."

Her father holds her hand and taps the photo to _Museúm National d' Historie Naturelle_. A moment later, Harry activates the portkey and they find themselves in front of a collection of mounted and stuffed animals at the _Grande Galerie de l'Évolution_.

"Wow! That's an elephant, a giraffe and a rhino too, Daddy!" Lily exclaims in excitement. Harry sees the crowd slowly building up, so he decides to lift Lily up his shoulders.

"Hold on tight, I'm a firebolt supreme!" Harry weaves through the spaces between the crowds. After a while, he beams at Lily who is holding on securely by his messy hair. Lily continues to list down all the animals in the grand gallery of evolution, her eyes lighting up upon seeing more creatures compared to her Grandpa Xeno's collection of magical beings and Newt Scamander's _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_.

The rest of the day is a quick look around the exhibits of plants and geology before deciding to stop a bit at the _Galeries d'Anatomie comparée et de Paléontologie_ , just beside the T-Rex skull.

Speaking in low tones, Lily asks her father, "Was the Hungrarian Horntail larger than this, Daddy?"

Harry replies, "Yes, Lily, and it had these huge wings, while breathing fire at me as I flew around with my firebolt to get the golden egg."

"I wish I was brave as you Daddy," Lily mumbles, resting her head on Harry's shoulder.

"Lily flower, it's ok to be afraid. In every single one of my adventures, I was afraid all the time." Harry nudges her daughter to look him in the eyes and adds, "It's what you do when you're afraid that the most important thing you'll ever do."

Lily beams at him and whispers, "Thank you, Daddy, for the day. Will we see the Eiffel Tower today?"

"Let's see it right now then." Harry places Lily down and, after a _notice-me-not_ charm, then a magical pull, they find themselves on the viewing deck of the Eiffel tower. Beside them is a couple, both of thirty years.

The man turns and smiles at Harry, before he and his willowy red-haired companion walk towards them.

"Good to see you again Auguste."

"And it's good to see that you and Lily have enjoyed our beautiful city. This is my wife, Eponine." Eponine smiles softly at Harry. Her strong features and calloused hands remind him of harder times before Luna and Lily came into his life.

"And I'm Lily," Lily introduces herself softly to Eponine, who shakes Lily's hand and lets her hold her tummy for a moment. Lily feels a slight kick from her tummy and giggles.

"Auguste, let's leave Monsieur Potter and Lily to seeing our city," Eponine quips and they leave with the words, "We'll see you soon, Harry Potter."

As they disapparate, Harry's eyes turn pensive for a moment, knowing the herculean task ahead of him. They leave a floating croissant and note behind them. Harry decides to read the note first and it says:

_We've taken care of the tourists for half an hour, so you can view our City of Lights just as the night is about to come. A & E_

Harry only shakes his head and decides to entertain Lily. Just as he turns to his daughter, he spots her eating the cheese and turkey croissant they left behind. He lets out a sigh of amused frustration a moment later as Lily asks for the strawberry jam and gravy to mix into her snack.

The entire city of Paris lights up twenty minutes later, just as the night time comes. Both Potters commit the beauty of the sprawling metropolis and engrave it into their memories before making their way to the apparition point, not keen on another Portkey travel.

Lily walks hand in hand with her father as they make their way to the north side of _Pont de l'Alma_. The City of Lights shines brightly through the night once more. Finally, their day is almost finished with the Eiffel Tower looming over the skyline beside the Seine River.

"Dad, are we near the transport point?" Lily irritably inquires, as she yawns tiredly, which Harry answers, "Just a bit more, poppet."

He decides to carry her until they reach the _Flamme de la Liberté_. He takes a moment to admire it with Lily, who is also amazed at the beautiful torch statue. "Princess Diana died near here, by the _Pont de l'Alma_ road tunnel, Lily-flower. They say it's a monument in honor of her, but your aunt Fleur told me otherwise."

"It's alright daddy. Speaking of Aunt Fleur, will we see them here in France? I bet she would like some company during her trip back here with Uncle Bill and Louis," Lily inquires, tilting her head slightly. Her dirty blonde with streaks of auburn red hair falls gracefully down to the side a bit. Harry takes a moment to ponder and thinks, _'She's pretty cool already without making an effort just by the hair alone.'_

He spots a slight tinge of magic nearby and realizes that they are already at the apparating point. Luckily, there is only a lone witch keeping watch at the place and not the usual crowds of magicals who spot them everywhere.

" _Mon Dieu! Le Survivant! Bonsoir, Harry Potter!_ " a young and fit French auror greets the two Potters in rapid French before she sees Lily's furrowed brow and then switches to English. "I hope you have enjoyed your stay in Paris, Mister and Miss Potter. Please pardon my unprofessional behavior. I just got too excited to meet _Le Survivant_ in person with his beautiful daughter."

Harry merely smiles and notices the name tag a bit before saying to the young auror, " _Merci beaucoup Euphrasie Pontmercy, Paris est belle."_

She gives him a snappy salute before they apparate away to their private, magical hotel room in between Rue Nicholas and Rue Perenelle.

Lily bolts from her father's arms after she gives him a kiss on the cheek and starts running around, looking for her mother. After a few minutes, she goes back to him and remarks, "Mommy isn't here yet Daddy," while Harry rests up his feet from the scenic walk with his daughter.

"She'll be here soon, I think. It's not every day that Crumple-horned Snorkacks are found. Your mom and grandfather have been looking for them for decades. I think she's bound to be excited, just like you when I bring you some chocolate and mint ice cream. " Harry responds, taking Luna's sketchbook from the coffee table as he makes himself comfortable on the couch.

"Are you going to show me one of mommy's doodles again daddy?" Lily inquires, sitting down beside him and shifting closer for a better view.

"Let's see what she has for us today."

Harry opens a random page from the sketchbook and sees words written beautiful calligraphy script of older English, while enclosed in an artistic frame of green vines and blooming white roses on the four corners. On the roses, a few specks of red are arranged haphazardly like blood drops. Lily giggles at the beauty of the frame, as Harry reads the words closer while his hand traces the dried ink.

_October 1, 1997_

_Hogwarts used to be so bright, and now without Harry, Hermione and Ron, it is a cold and darker place. Only candles such as me, Neville, Ginny and the rest of the D.A. remain. But as I write that down, I realize we, ourselves, must become torches. It reminds me of something about a muggle German schoolgirl named Sophie Scholl from an organization called the White Rose back in the Grindelwald war._

' _Life is always on the edge of death; narrow streets lead to the same place as wide avenues, and a little candle burns itself out just like a flaming torch does. I choose my own way to burn.'_

_The days are rougher now. especially for me, the outcast. I'll wait for Harry to come back, and I will do my best to be a torch amongst a hundred candles. I will be his moon to illuminate the pure darkness he faces, for as long as I live._

"Luna love…" Harry mutters, while Lily reads along but does not comprehend it.

"Mommy writes very pretty letters, but what does it mean Daddy?" his daughter asks, focusing on her dad, whose face sobers up gradually.

"Lily, remember how I told you about the time of Voldemort back in England? When your mommy made this doodle, bad things were happening to good and innocent people." Harry explains calmly.

"Yes daddy. Your face looks very sad right now, just like how mommy was two weeks ago when she saw a muggle newspaper with a picture of a boy wearing a red shirt. He was sleeping on the sand and all his clothes were wet. I hope he didn't catch a cold," Lily replies and then worries as she sees her father cover his face with his hands weeping silently.

"I'm sorry daddy." Lily says, hugging her father. He hugs her back.

"No Flower, don't worry, it's not your fault. Hermione, Ron and I, along with the volunteers we had at the Ministry did what we could these past few months to help magical and muggle families get away from bad men in Greece and Syria. That's why I've been away for work until I got time to be with you and mommy here in Paris." Harry wipes his eyes and smiles at Lily.

"When you grow up, always remember these words. Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate. Only love can do that." Harry locks eyes with his daughter in fondness and she nods intently at his words.

"Some people do bad things to each other because they, themselves, are hurting. But there are people, like your mommy that really care about people, creatures and beings. That's why I work with her, to be a light in the lives of other people." he adds with a sad longing look on his eyes and a brave smile on his lips.

Lily kisses her father's cheek and hugs him once more before saying, "You're being silly daddy, but love you. I'll be the light in your gloomy night."

"I love you too, Lily Lu." Harry replies, kissing Lily's forehead and gesturing for her to get ready for bedtime. As he goes through the motions, the words of Auguste still ring in his mind.

_The corsairs are in Malta._

" _This is absolutely bad for us. Hermione's going to lose it when she finds out that our mission isn't over."_ He tells himself as he waits for Luna to come home.

2nd A/N: For the judge, I have this story on 2,995 words in total and can provide the word file for checking.


	7. Duality

**Duality**

Luna opens the door after her glee in taking pictures of the Snorkack and finishing her interview with Rolf Scamander. _"Take that, Hermione Granger."_ She tells herself and opens the door.

She sees Harry smile at her welcoming her back to their hotel room. She in turn returns it, as her heart skips a beat when her silvery grey eyes locked with Harry's green. _'After all these years and I'm still head over heels with this man.'_

Moving her attention to the sketchbook on his hands, her eyes lit up in surprise at seeing the particular doodle of the white roses with red specs.

She realizes Harry might worry and begins to ask, "Where's Lily?"

"She's asleep now. We enjoyed our travel in Paris," Harry replies, and then fidgets a bit before adding, "I believe you need to contact Marguerite when we get back. The corsairs are at Malta."

Luna's eyes lost their spark for a moment. After that, she merely nods in affirmation and places her bag at the coffee table. She sits beside Harry and wraps her arms around his torso, inhaling the subtle masculine cologne she picked out for him a few weeks back.

"Would you like to tell me more about this doodle? It's different from the others." Harry asks.

Luna ganders at the doodle once more, before removing herself from his embrace. "I tried to be a torch during those dark days, you see." Luna whispers, closing her eyes in contemplation before continuing, "Are you sure you want to see, Love?"

Harry cups her chin and looks straight into her grey orbs in concern, yet asks, "What's wrong?"

She takes out her wand from her bag and taps the same rose three times with the tip, before muttering, "I permit you to reveal yourself."

The vines and roses retract and the words disappear. It turns into a black and white charcoal self-portrait of Luna. On her left side, she's wearing her butterbeer necklace, radish earring and the spectrespecs.

But her right side is a complete 180 degrees from her whimsical ways. She wears only a ruby earring and a sapphire on the center of a pitch black choker. Her right eye is narrow and it appears a storm runs behind it.

The quirky side doesn't move but her serious side does with a smirk that would not be out of place from a younger Draco Malfoy.

Luna merely points to the title she placed on the lower left corner in an overly feminine script. It reads: _Duality_

"It's beautiful, Luna love, but…" Harry trails off, touching the right side of her face. It feels rather familiar to him.

Luna touches the side of his hand on the sketch book. The uncertainty creeping into her veins like a raging torrent of water. Only her fingertips betray her agitation, but she knows she must muster on.

"Love, for many years, they have called me mad, insane and barmy. I have let it slide by, like water to duck's feathers. But there was one day that I lost it completely, when you were gone from my side at Hogwarts."

*flashback*

In an empty classroom on the third floor, Luna stretches her arms a bit before gazing into the mirror in the room. Her worn-out Caerphilly Catapults shirt and jogging pants felt comfortable amidst the end of September. A bruise on her cheek came from Snape after backhanding her, just as she was about to grasp Gryffindor's sword in the Headmaster's room.

The detention with Ginny, Neville and Hagrid was nothing really, just a stroll in the midnight moonlight. But the bruise reminds her every time of a single fact, that for all the bullying she receives, no one has ever dared to physically manhandle her, until the mark on her face came along.

Taking her wand that was tucked behind her ear; she closes her eyes for a moment then breathes deeply before savagely attacking the tables arranged around her.

_Duck, roll, thrust, thrust, thrust, dodge and weave._ The mantra in her mind repeats itself, shifting her starting foot from left to right. _"I am a lefty after all, might as well use that to my advantage."_ She ponders, creating a mixture of broken wood, dust and sweat on the floor she steps on.

"I'll show that murderer what it really feels to be manhandled and lose the only bright spot in his life." She whispers with the edge of her tone losing all dreaminess she possesses.

Severus Snape is a man who keeps his acidic wit and hard nature worn like a boxing glove to a boxer during fight night and even training. Rarely are there times that he lets his emotions show, but this is one of those times. Alecto Carrow is pale as a ghost after narrowly missing a silver dagger to the neck. Madam Pomfrey's medical stores are mostly depleted, so Snape has to do the treatments himself in the hallway.

Placing a blood clotting potion to the sides of the wound, Severus grabs the handle of the dagger with a dragon hide glove and pulls it clean off his fellow deatheater's shoulder.

Alecto belts out an agonizing scream, as Snape applies pressure to the stab wound with an enchanted towel.

He takes a glance to his left and sees a student with dirty blond hair stare at him, then walks away calmly with a hint of a smirk on her lips.

A week passes by and a series of incidents reach his office. From lacerations to first degree burns, Snape does most of the treatments for the Carrow twins and his sixth and seventh year students. Each one of the victims finds a yellow flower with three brownish red seed pods on their stalk. Flora Carrow brings in the said flower with her, while being the treated for a jagged cut from her left cheek to her nose.

"I remember Luna Lovegood being with Harry Potter during the Slug Club party last year, Headmaster." Flora volunteers the information, hearing his uncle Amycus griping about the fact that any perceived weakness of Harry Potter should be provided to Snape.

Severus merely nods and closes his eyes to gaze at the empty portrait of Albus in sorrow. His eyes exude the loss and the sacrifice he must do, to maintain the good grace of the Dark Lord. After that, he gestures for Flora to leave.

Snape takes a closer look at the flower and whispers, "Bird's-foot trefoil, Revenge." He shakes his head and proceeds once more for his patrols to clear up the vandalism on the walls, courtesy of Neville Longbottom.

In his musings, he takes a moment to contemplate the suspect. _'Blades and flame is the weapon of choice. Longbottom fights with curses and jinxes and the Weasley girl uses blunt transfiguration and charms to attack. How about Lovegood? No, she only knows a stunning spell and that's it. Perhaps if could be one of the other members of the D.A.?'_

A glint of glistening steel catches his eye and he dodges the last minute, only nicking his forehead. He looks around and sees a swish of a black robe before the torches in the passageway flicker out and only the moonlight remains to illuminate the area.

From behind him, he hears maniacal laughter of a high pitch, a woman he assumes, blocking a nasty cutting charm from clipping him on his back. "Once I find you, I will rue your very existence." Severus commands, circling around with his wand drawn in a guarding stance.

"That is, if you can catch me, betrayer." The voice trails off, just as a stream of dark flame head towards him. He counters it with a shield made of ice and banishes the shrapnel towards his attacker.

Snape sidesteps to the right and goes on the offensive, launching ropes and stunners at his attacker. As he stopped after the initial barrage of spells, he was caught unawares by a solid punch to the chin. The soft skin confirms that his aggressor is a woman. The pale skin glows in the moonlight and the stormy grey eyes that stare at him were from the same girl he first saw with Alecto's wound. Her pale blond hair and ruby earrings billow gently behind her and sapphire in the middle of her choker haunting his very heart with a memory of ghosts from the past.

"Pandora, it cannot be." Severus exclaims then grunts, as a silver dagger slams into his shoulder.

"I didn't think you'd be this stupid, Severus Snape. My mother would spit on your face if she were alive."

"Lovegood, I'll have your head for this!" The headmaster roars before seeing black and receives the kick to his face.

Luna taps her wand to her hair and it turns to auburn red, then her eyes to Harry's avada green.

"Who would believe you? Luna Lovegood, beating the stuffing out of Severus Snape," she laughs harshly at the thought and steps harder on Snape's wand.

"For all you will remember, Lily Evans came back to punish you tonight. Nightie night sweet prince," Luna mocks and then points the wand at Severus Snape, seeing the same bruise she had on his face. _"Obliviate."_

A day after that, Severus could be seen shivering in the night for a week, whispering in the moonlight, "Lily."

*end of flashback*

"That's why I'm a monster Harry. That's why they took me on the Hogwarts Express to be imprisoned. Because I snapped and I enjoyed seeing their pain and anguish from the first time in my life. It was…" Luna pauses, as the moonlight eases into their hotel room, thankful that it was just the two of them with Lily sleeping in her room. "Liberating, that's why I did it."

She wraps her arms around Harry's neck and shivers in fear. "Please don't leave me. Please." She buries her head on his chest and repeats these words like a prayer while sobbing.

Harry closes his eyes and holds Luna tightly, whispering, "I won't leave you Luna, because of your actions back then. I love you. You're not the same person anymore." He then leads her to sleep on the bed beside Lily. She holds him close and sleeps off the grief of the memory, while Harry stares at the moonlit sky, unable to sleep, worrying about the aftermath of his help in Syria and the foreboding guilt his wife has over letting her anguish and anger take over.

"I love you, Luna love, no matter what you did back then." He whispers to her ear, spooning her, while she wraps her arms around their sleeping daughter.

 


	8. Fluctuat nec mergitur

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is a side story for the Harry Potter and the Lethifold Division fic, set in the Doodle-verse.

**Fluctuat nec mergitur**

November 14, 2015

The morning is cold as the winter winds come in. _It is a quiet time in France and here in Paris today_ , Luna ponders as she brings out her sketch book, a pencil and paper with some of her drawing implements from her pouch. Inside the Lethifold Division HQ, she sits on one of the empty chairs and begins to draw a coat of arms she saw recently from of her memories.

With each stroke, her eyes cloud with a torrent of emotions stirring from within her heart. It feels like trying to stop a tidal wave with a brick wall, but she manages to not smudge the outlines of the shield, the boat or the laurels.

Harry notices Luna scratching away with her artwork and walks towards her, just as she writes down the Latin motto beneath. Harry touches her right hand and she looks up. His emerald green eyes evoke all the sadness she saw during the loss of Sirius and the helplessness whenever there was something that went wrong in the missions he went through.

"I thought... I thought it would have been a fitting thing to doodle Harry." Luna whispers as the light in her eyes fade.

Harry shakes his head and suggests, "Doodle. To stop your sketch would mean a disservice to our friends here in France. _Les Amis_ would love it. I promise."

"Then hand me the oil pastel Harry." Luna requests and receives it. He gives her a comforting hand on the shoulder and then gives her space to work.

She colors each part with precision, never wavering nor stopping. Her momentum catches the attention of their silent mass of companions in the room. Ron and Hermione along with Auguste and Eponine. Everyone else has gone home the night before, after a tiring afternoon of planning and the improvement of their new ceramic-plated dragon scale armor.

As the last stroke of faded gold ink dries on the sides of the coat of arms, she flicks her wand and the sketch is completely permanent.

" _Fluctuat nec mergitur_. She is tossed by the waves but does not sink. It's fitting for the hardiness of this country and people, even though I'm partial to _Nemo Impune Lacessit_." Luna voices her thoughts out loud and then she notices the sad smiles of everyone around her.

"You did a brilliant job Luna, as always." Ron remarks as Hermione's eyes are streaming tears. Ron places a hand on her shoulder and holds her close. Hermione reads the rectangular frame for a moment and bawls harder into Ron's chest. Ron barely keeps his composure but manages to keep it hidden by hugging his wife back and hiding beneath her hair.

Harry reverently floats the sketch pad and Auguste bites back a sob seeing a perfect copy of Paris' coat of arms, complete with the Legion of Honor, the _Ordre de la Libération_ and the _Croix de Guerre_ on the bottom.

"Merci beaucoup, Luna Potter."

"You're welcome, Auguste Enjolras."

Their voices lay dormant once more as Eponine reads the lines Luna places on the frame.

"It's Invictus by William Ernest Henley. Good choice Luna.

Out of the night that covers me,  
Black as the pit from pole to pole,  
I thank whatever gods may be  
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance  
I have not winced nor cried aloud.  
Under the bludgeonings of chance  
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears  
Looms but the Horror of the shade,  
And yet the menace of the years  
Finds, and shall find me, unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,  
How charged with punishments the scroll,  
I am the master of my fate:  
I am the captain of my soul."

"You've done great, Luna Love." Harry whispers and kneels to face a sobbing Luna and wraps her in his embrace. The room is as still as the sober city outside, just as the winter winds come in.


	9. A Christmas Star

**A Christmas Star**

Inside the Potter's rook as Ron calls it, Harry and Luna continue their tradition of a Christmas Eve feast together as a family.

Harry sighs softly but contentedly, as he and James set up the table, plates and silverware. Luna and Lily come out of the kitchen with food right behind them. Luna floats in her roasted turkey, Yorkshire pudding, gravy, a Caesar salad, a bottle of red wine for them and grape juice for the kids. Lily on the other hand, is carrying a tray of chocolate chip cookies.

"Everyone remember that no cookies until after dinner. " Luna states, arranging the food on the table and floating the cookies out of reach of everyone. Harry seals the deal by covering it in a rainbow-colored bubble.

The scent of freshly baked cookies dissipates, but does not deter the spirits within. The doodles on the living room arrange themselves into a festive Christmas mood for the Potter household. The dragons breathes out brilliant red, pine green and golden flames, making a roughly drawn Christmas tree on the wall. The quidditch doodles fly around the walls chasing snitches and fairies, illuminating the room comfortably for the family on the dinner table.

Harry raises his right hand for a bit and says, "I have something important to say," He pauses for a moment and glances at his children and locks eyes with his wife, "I'm thankful that I have you three with me for Christmas." Luna nods in understanding after their crazy November.

"I'm thankful for the Christmas feast and Lily's help." Luna chimes in and then James adds, "I'm glad to be home because I can meet up with Freddie for the pranks we'll pull after the break."

Lily beams at her mother and she remarks, "I'm thankful for family, cookies, and presents."

They all take a quick bow and then Harry breaks the silence. "Let's tuck in!"

In the middle of the dinner, a loud popping sound is heard from outside their door. Harry excuses himself from the table to check. With his holly wand on hand, he slowly opens the front door and finds no one there, except for a basket with a letter.

He kneels down and upon closer inspection sees a baby with dark hair, chubby cheeks and full lips. Her dark eyes look curiously at Harry and her light brown-skinned hands reach for him. Silent, but on the verge of tears, Harry decides to hold the baby carefully and tuck the child on his free arm. Taking the letter with him, he closes behind him and turns one of their baubles into a cradle complete with spinning stars.

Luna gives him a inquiring look and the kids follow her as she stands up. "Who might this be?"

"I don't have an idea, but I'm going to find out." Harry replies, while Luna takes the baby from him to place in the cradle. Harry then opens the note and reads the hastily scribbled note:

To Harry Potter,

My husband and I sent our daughter Kate away from our place in Manchester to yours. We're fending off men from the Frost Wyrms at the moment, but I'm not sure how long we'll be able to hold them.

Please keep Kate safe.

Anastasia Martinez

' _Damn!'_ Harry's thought, quickly sending his stag Patronus to Kingsley. _"Of all the gangs, why did they have to tussle with the Frost Wyrms. I only assigned them to watch over the Furies."_

Luna sees the worry in his face, while their twelve-year old son James gently rocks the cradle and nine-year old daughter Lily leans forward to take a closer look at the baby. There is a twinkle in Lily Luna's eyes, curiosity and a sense of wonder engulfing her being.

"Is anything wrong Harry?" Luna inquires, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"My eyes in Manchester are in danger, so I contacted Kingsley to go there with a quick response squad." Harry rests his right hand on Luna's hand and smiles reassuringly at her. "I hope we can get her parents in time."

Luna gives Harry an embrace and looks into his eyes. "We'll just have to do what we can. It's Christmas eve." She then makes a stuffed Crumple-Horned Snorkack for Kate, who coos with excitement at her distraction. Keeping the worry away from her face, she gestures everyone back at the table to finish their feast.

Thirty minutes later, Harry receives a missive from Kingsley through a lynx patronus. As he listens to it, Luna is turning some of the extra needles and threads she has into diapers. At the same time, James and Lily patiently watch over Kate who yawns and falls asleep.

His eyes sank after hearing the entire message. Keeping himself away from the kids, he gently walks outside to the cold winter air and sits down on the steps. He realizes how the child inside is now an orphan in their arms now, just like him.

"But I'll be damned if I ever treat Kate the same way the Dursleys did with me." He mutters to the wind, wondering how Luna will take the news of him wanting to adopt her.

Luna appears behind him and places a comforting arm around Harry. She whispers, "We will raise her with love, Harry. I don't think the kids will disagree about having a baby sister. They've always wanted another one, but our jobs demand so much time from both of us." She leans on his shoulder and lands a soft kiss on right collarbone.

Harry leans his head on Luna's and remarks, "You always did know what I'm thinking. Are you sure you want to adopt Kate?"

"I'm definitely sure, Harry love. I'm thinking Kate Potter has a nice ring to it."

Harry looks toward a bright group of stars he knows by heart from the Astronomy classes. "Kate Andromeda Potter, good love."

"Andy would love it." Luna quips, checking the time on her wand. 12:00 midnight. "Happy Christmas, Mr. Potter."

"Merry Christmas, Mrs. Potter." Harry cheekily says before cupping her chin and locking eyes with his wife. The kiss under the stars lights up their thoughts and the resolution to give an innocent baby girl a better future with their kids.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> For a little baby named Kate, who went out too early into the night.


	10. Tulips, Coffee, and Tattoos

Tulips, Coffee, and Tattoos

Luna takes a walk around the Bazaar of Magic, two months after their operation in the Libyan Desert. The streets around her exude a different flavor of magic, compared to the rigidness of Diagon Alley. Flying carpets fly around, while the cobblestone streets clear itself up of any dust or mess from the bustle of life.

As she turns the corner, she spots a Doner Kebab shop that she remembers from Harry's memories from their raid here. This time however, the place seems more vibrant from the retrospective feel of the restaurant inside. There are wooden chairs and tables seating families, travelers, and locals alike, plates of Doner Kebab, shawarma, chips, and Arabic coffee pots with small cups and small servings of sweetened dates.

To her surprise, an Arabic woman greets her warmly and she says, "Luna Potter, it's good to see you again."

"Junah Benayoun!" Luna exclaims, embracing Junah lightly and kisses her cheeks. "How are you today?"

"Finally bought Harun's favorite place and did my best to make it better. Mr. Shehab, the old owner, decided to sell it to me since Harun has always been helpful when he was starting out here."

Luna takes a glance around and nods in approval, "you've done well." After saying those words, he sees her hands painted in intricate designs with gold.

Junah notices her glance and brings her hands closer. "You like my henna tattoo? I can make it for you!" She takes Luna's hand and drags her into the backroom, to the amusement of the patrons who are used to Junah and her antics.

In a spacious sunlit room beside the kitchen, there are cushions and a carpet in the middle of the room. Junah gestures Luna to sit and asks, "I heard you were here from Apolline and doing some sketches around along with your assignment on the ICW crackdown on magical communities trying to interfere with the muggle unrest."

"She knows me too well really. Now, I've been seeing a lot of tulips in the motifs here in Istanbul." Luna remarks, as she opens a page from her sketchbook. It shows a single tulip on top of a nazar or the blue eye-shaped amulet that protects the bearer from the evil eye.

Ms. Benayoun touches the sketch and traces her fingers over it. With a smile of approval, she says, "I'll do something of the sort, but not necessarily the whole design you've made. Now, tulips here symbolized an era of peace, prosperity, and a flowering of the arts under Sultan Ahmed III known as ironically as the 'Tulip Period.' And because of this period, tulips defined nobility and privilege during that time." She summons her henna tools and smirks as Luna holds her left and right hands out in anticipation for artistic magic.

Luna grins like a child as a red tulip bulb is drawn by two paintbrushes on the back of her hands and its stem turns into five that curls around her fingers like vines. Hints of blue and white mingle at the outlines of the green stems, and it is finished off with flecks of gold spread around the tulip.

"Remember though that henna tattoos are only temporary. They normally last around two weeks to a month, depending if you want to scratch them off." Junah explains.

Luna replies, "Thank you. Now, I heard you have the best Doner Kebab in town and some Turkish coffee as well." A cup of coffee floats towards her and she takes a sip. The rich aroma of the freshly made brew along with its robust flavor gives her a kick that she needs to catch up on her newly found friend.

A few hours later, Luna returns home to the rookery. As she opens the door, she sees Lily changing Kate's diapers with a grimace.

Lily sees her mother and gives her a face of disgust at the chore. Luna leans her head to the right in amusement. "I used to change your diapers too, trust me it isn't that bad." Luna then eases her daughter's discomfort and clears up Kate's waste.

Their adopted daughter coos in delight as Lily powders Kate's bum and seals the cloth diaper with a pin. Once it is done, Lily washes her hands and then runs to Luna, who just manages to drop her bag and notes.

"I miss you mum!" Lily squeals in delight as she is spun around by Luna while in her mother's embrace. She leans her head to the left and as Luna summons Kate's crate, Lily touches the tattoo. "It's beautiful mum, will you make me one too?"

"Definitely my flower," Luna replies, as the three girls enjoy their time together, while Harry is still away on another mission for the ICW relief team.


	11. Discord in Symphony

**Discord in Symphony**

The day starts out just like any other day in the Rook at Ottery St. Catchpole for the Potter household. With a bit of a lull at work, Harry enjoys the respite of a play date between his seven-year-old godchild Edward Remus "Teddy" Lupin and his two children, James Sirius and Lily Luna. His eyes lit up seeing the three pretending they're a bunch of airplanes hovering around by the couch. Luna and Andromeda likewise enjoy the antics of the kids as they catch up a bit on newer charms that helped them blend in with the muggle world.

Eventually, Teddy leaves James and Lily a bit as a colorful sketchbook catches his eye. Catching Luna's eye, he changes his hair from ginger red to dirty blond before saying, "Aunt Luna, could I see that one? It looks really nice."

Luna excuses herself from her conversation with Mrs. Tonks and hands Teddy the sketchbook. He randomly flips the page and sees the face of a baby wearing a rainbow beanie hat.

As Luna sees the sketch she drew a few years back, she bites back a sob and gives Teddy a sad smile instead. The young Lupin doesn't notice as his focus is entirely on the face of a giggling baby. On the small left corner, it reads, 'Albus Potter'. Luna composes herself and reminisces the fateful night.

It was a quiet and fun night in the Potter household a month after her giving birth. Hermione embraced Luna after visiting her godchild Albus, then left for Diagon Alley to meet up with Ron.

"What a day!" Luna exclaims, finally being able to lie down on the bed beside their one month old baby Albus. James wakes up all of a sudden, but that's quickly solved by a floating milk bottle to his crib beside their bed.

' _James is the loud one and Albus is the calm and quiet one._ ' Luna caresses the tuff of Albus' dirty blonde hair and imagines his grey eyes looking back at her while smiling in his sleep. Seeing that there's a lull on the time, she brings out her knitting needles and makes her first beanie. "I hope I do it just as good as Molly of course."

She wipes the sniffles off Albus who's been feeling under the weather for the past three days and the healer's medicine seems to be making him alright. After that, she sees the beanie done and places it on her youngest son's head, tucking him to bed beside her, and they all fall asleep after.

The morning after, as the sunlight hits Luna's sleeping form, she feels a rustle from her side and sees Albus grasping for breath. Her attention widens seeing her youngest son turn blue and she hurriedly carries Albus on her left and James on her right before apparating to St. Mungos.

The next two hours is a combination of anxiety, a fuzzy James, and the overall rush of healers running around the hospital.

As James falls asleep, Luna spots Hannah Abbott-Longbottom walking towards her in her green medical scrubs. A defeated slump tells it all for her and Hannah's words confirm it. "I'm sorry Luna, we couldn't save Albus. His heart couldn't take the strain of healing him."

Luna floats James beside her and muffles the sound he hears, before succumbing to grief. She wails helplessly while Hannah embraces her. "No! Albus, no!" She shouts in between sobs, her shaking body radiating all the pain within her.

Harry arrives to the hospital still bloodied from the last mission for the Aurors, finding Luna and James with Hannah. "Luna love?"

Gently removing herself from Hannah's arms, she walks mechanically towards her husband and whispers, "Our Albie is gone."

A week later, Harry notices Luna humming a sad tune from her lips. She sits by the couch as silent tears fall down from her eyes while drawing the face of Albus wearing the beanie hat Luna made for him. "Ever wonder what he would be like, Harry?" Luna whispers without looking at her husband.

"He would be like a trailblazer for justice. Level-headed like you and restless like me. He would be never be tamed or cowed from his beliefs, even if sometimes people don't understand him for it. Our Albus would be shouting at the top of his lungs at the front lines of injustice and indifference. We would be proud to call him son." Harry bites his lip to compose himself before sitting beside Luna and embracing her, as both of them release their sorrows.

Teddy stands up and runs to Harry, bringing him to the portrait of Albus on Luna sketchbook. "Uncle Harry, look at the pretty baby Aunt Luna drew."

Harry sees it and shakes off the tears threatening to fall down on his eyes. Andromeda places a hand on his shoulder and he gives her a nod while musing around Teddy's electric blue hair.

"We always have Albus in our hearts and looks over us from the stars, Luna love." Harry whispers to Luna as he drapes an arm over his wife's shoulder, while Teddy makes funny faces at the giggling picture of the Albus. Sad smiles line the adults' lips as they think of what they lost and what they have right now amidst the glee of the three carefree children with them.

 


	12. Ripple in her Tea

Harry comes home to the Potter residence with Luna’s frazzled countenance furiously sketching the image of a pale blindfolded girl that looks like her back in her fifth year. There are multi-colored threads of magic on the girl’s fingertips, tearing apart the very air within what looks like their living room.

“That’s the most vivid yet, Luna love. I hope there’s an interesting story in that one?” Harry opens up the conversation just as she puts the oil pastel down and the image comes to life with the tranquil sketch of their living room suddenly opened like a torn piece of paper by a vampire wielding magic.

“You wouldn’t even believe if I told you, Harry.” Luna replies with a bewildered expression, still looking at an empty cup that’s stuck in the middle of neatly stacked articles ready for printing.

*

The dining table inside the Potter residence is filled with different articles from various contributors and Luna pinches the bridge of her nose while closing her eyes. “At least the kids are out with their aunt Ginny to watch the latest Harpies game. I wish I could come along with them, but these write-ups need to be arranged this afternoon so I can catch up on the printing delay for this month’s subscriptions.”

Her eyes furrow a bit from all the paper and from out of the blue, she notices a long thin golden spark lights at the corner of her eye. Initially, she counts it off as nothing. A moment later, the line becomes bigger. Luna turns her attention to it and in a split second, the space where the spark is torn, like an axe that ripped off a tree bark.

Luna immediately takes out her wand and points it at the fracture. To her amazement, it’s a ruined field where her house used to be, judging by the remaining stones of the rook. The one creating the tear is a pale-skinned, blindfolded, and younger version of herself. The sun had just set and the moon lit up the fields eerily.

But that thing that makes her jaw drop in wonder is that her younger mirror image had a few droplets of blood still clinging to her chin, while manipulating thick strings of magic with her fingertips. _“Daddy always did mention something about parallel dimensions, but this is ridiculous. I’m a fifteen-year-old vampire there?”_

Behind her alternate self are a man with a black cloak and a rapier dueling a younger man with jet black hair and glasses while using a broadsword. “Harry?” She narrows her eyes and remembers everything in detail, confirming it is a youthful version of her husband with their late potions professor. The swordplay dodging strikes and lunges almost seem like watching a synchronized dance, not a single hair or blade out of place.

Another woman appears in her line of sight, smiling serenely at her. Her lithe frame and Native American features perfectly blend with the age old wisdom in her stance, pale white skin, a silencing finger on her lips, and her twinkling but haunted eyes. From that moment, she knows that she is facing two powerful vampires in her midst.

The Native American blinks slowly and shook her head, mouthing, “I’m sorry for the trouble.” A moment later, the magical tear is sealed seamlessly and the entire place is back to normal.

Mrs. Potter makes herself a cup of tea to calm her nerves and sees the ripples still agitating her tea. “This is weird.”

 *

As Luna finishes her drabble by placing a dueling Harry and Snape behind the blindfolded vampire, Harry places a comforting hand on Luna’s shoulder and remarks, “Great sketch there, Luna. I definitely think you’d be a beautiful vampire.”

Luna swats his arm and then kisses his cheek. A stiff breeze came from the center of the living room once more, and without fail, the force makes uniform ripples on the tea inside her cup. The Potter couple looks to the source and to their surprise; they find their younger selves peeking through the well shaped rectangle waving at them before disappearing a few moments later.

“I think we both need a stiff one,” Harry offers and Luna nods, opting to drink out their shock with some firewhiskey.


	13. Musings by the Sea

**Musings by the sea**

The full moon light shines upon the green peaks of the Dover Cliffs. Five decades after establishing their new home in Ottery St. Catchpole beside the Diggorys, Fawcetts, and Weasleys, a lone solitary woman with her sad grey eyes staring out at sea, walks slowly while her formerly dirty blond and now pale and silver softly dances in the breeze. The tied black ribbon on her left arm sways along with her white flowing robes.

She does not mind the chill in the autumn night or the strands of hair blowing around her face. Her eyes see the various possibilities and in this place where the roaring sea meets the chalk cliffs, she finds solace like no other. Luna Lovegood-Potter sees things around her ever since she lost her mum. Nargles on mistletoe, the elusive Crumple-horned Snorkack until Rolf Scamander vindicated her and her father’s chase with capturing and documenting all its habits, and the other creatures still undiscovered by wizarding kind.

It is not the creatures her mind and eyes see, her companions in solace as her withered and frail hand holds her wand. A faint smile lines her lips and whispers, “Expecto Patronum.” A group of ethereal bunnies and a stag run around the grassy fields, offering her comfort in solitude.

Ever since she and her husband stumble upon two existences of their possibilities, or as Harry calls it, parallel universes, they’ve had occasional visits from these two but they’ve kept it secret. After all, they knew what happened back in school and the vindictiveness of their peers towards things they don’t understand. As she points out, only things that are powerful enough to bend the very rules of the universe can travel through these peeks and only stay briefly.

Luna hears the sound of sharp steel slicing through the air and something going through the neat oblong rift. “You’re here on the spot where I died,” a sharp tone says on her left, the sickly green aura visible in the outlines of the scythe blade.

She’s gotten used to this version of her alternate self being the avatar of mistress Death. The being on her left wears tattered void black cloak floating in the air while its hood is resting on the shoulders.

A door appears on her right with pure white and blue flames on the outlines.

It opens and then another voice makes itself known to the two. Only that the voice is younger, just as she sounded like when she was fifteen years old.

“Don’t stay out too long, Mrs. Potter. Lily, James, and Kate might be worried sick already.”

Her vampire self gives the oldest Luna a fond smile and pats her shoulder to comfort her.

Luna Potter shakes her head and whispers, “don’t worry about me, I just needed to have my breath of fresh air, that’s all.”

Both her companions give the oldest looking one a solemn embrace, resembling grandchildren fond of their grandmother. “We’ll always be here to visit but someone’s coming,” Death-like Luna remarks before disappearing in a portal carved by the sickle in thin air.

The vampire cups her chin and her grey meets her crimson red eyes for a moment, “Remember the good times always, old friend.” A door appears and she enters, leaving Luna Potter alone only with her patronuses for company.

A necklace of the brothers three she clasps and it reminds her of a memory upon their first visit to the Netherlands when it was just her and Harry as newlyweds.

“Pity, I can’t exactly remember everything, but I did sketch it a few years later with Kate.”

The solitude makes everything seem brighter in her eyes, especially to the moon of which she was named after, where under its light, her father professed his love for her mother and asked her to marry him.

A gentle pop is heard near her and a ceramic bowl with thick and warm tangerine-colored liquid float towards her. Luna doesn’t even have to look behind her and says, “You didn’t have to wait up for me Kate Andromeda. You have to make the most out of your time with your husband before he leaves for the magical law enforcement convention.”

Kate wraps one arm around her adoptive mother’s waist and they both drink the dirigible plum soup she made. From inside her robes is Luna’s old sketch pad and Kate opens it to the page about Luna’s story about seeing the Zuiderzee with Harry for the first time and it was also their one and only collaboration sketching the image they now both see.

Kate’s exuberant use of her stubby fingers as a child to paint the landscape is evident, because her landscape wild and almost random, yet at the same time, depict the clear summer day by the beach. Luna drew the magical Dutch warship that travels around the world with the words ‘The Flying Dutchman’ embossed in polished brass on the reinforced wood.

As Harry would put it, it was life-like down to the various changing of lights or the occasional smoke coming from discharged cannon. The sails flutter in the wind and the birds fly overhead, and below the photo is two perfectly drawn hands with their fingers intertwined. On the left was Luna’s and on the Right was Harry’s as far as Kate can remember.

“We miss him too mum, but I think it’s best to come home with me to James and Lily with my nieces and nephews. After all, there more of the plum soup waiting for us.” Kate remarks and looks directly into Luna’s tear-stained eyes.

“We’re in it together, I’m sorry for making you three worry so much,” Luna smiles sadly, “you always did have a knack of finding me when I want to be alone.”

Kate leans her head to the left slightly and grins brightly, “Even at fifty years old, I haven’t forgotten this place when you brought me here once. Dad was hot on another case and my older brother and sister were both at Hogwarts at the time and you were sad after receiving the news about grandpa Xenophilius passing away. So you brought me here with you that one time just to grieve silently.”

Luna nods and she hugs Kate tightly, weeping on her shoulder and the tears soaking the side of Kate’s periwinkle blue dress. She mumbles words in between sobs but the only thing Kate manages to understand, “my Harry come back for me.” 

Andromeda holds her adoptive mother tightly, fighting back tears as the moonlight beams on them as they sit on the grass, waiting for Luna’s grief to subside.

After a few minutes of solitude, Luna composes herself and smiles apologetically at Kate. “I think it’s time we head back back, beloved.”

Kate returns her smile with a sad one and nods, “Let’s head back to family, mum.”

“That we will,” Luna holds Kate’s hand and they portkey back home after her musings by the sea.


End file.
